Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances & Bernstein

Bernstein, Barber, Rachmaninov

Acclaimed American conductor James Gaffigan returns to conduct Rachmaninov's spirited orchestral masterpiece, the Symphonic Dances. As part of a season-long celebration of Leonard Bernstein's centenary, the program also features the dramatic Symphonic Suite from On the Waterfront, the only score Bernstein wrote for a film. Violinist James Ehnes, praised for his "honeyed tone and immaculate technique" (The Guardian), performs Barber's beguiling Violin Concerto.

PRECONCERT CONVERSATION INFORMATION

Additional Dates for this Program

A symphony conductor and a stand-up comedian walk into a bar. Actually, not a bar. An Apple Store. Where they buy exactly the same Apple computer, at the same time, on the same day. Which is how American conductor James Gaffigan, who leads the CSO in subscription concerts Oct. 26-27, met American comedian-actor Jim Gaffigan. “He’s an amazing comic," the conductor said. "The only person really upset about [the mix-up] is my mother. When she Googles me, she gets much more of him than me.” Read more at CSO Sounds & Stories

Leonard Bernstein is this season’s birthday boy, and orchestras all over the United States are celebrating his centennial. Conductor James Gaffigan returns to the CSO this month for a program that opens with the Suite from On the Waterfront, drawn from Bernstein’s score for the Oscar-winning film. “I adore his music, and I think the man is almost as fascinating as his music, if not more so," Gaffigan said. "This was an educator who brought education into our [concert] world, which was necessary. As cultural leaders, we have to share this information with people.” Read more at CSO Sounds & Stories